Drive Letter Assignment

[Guest mmize]

Hello,

Is there anyway to change how Windows XP assigns drive letters when booting from the CD? I have two hard drives, a SATA and PATA. I use the PATA for extra storage and the SATA for the Windows install; I would like Windows to assign the drive letter C: to the SATA, and D: to the PATA drive during the installation. Is there something I can edit in nLite to do this?

[mitsukai]

change order of drives in BIOS

[cheeto81]

My sata drive is set to the first hard drive in the bios, but windows xp setup sets the primary IDE master as C: How do i change this?

Thanks

[Fernando 1]

My sata drive is set to the first hard drive in the bios, but windows xp setup sets the primary IDE master as C: How do i change this?

This is a wellknown issue of the Windows Setup routine, that it prefers the natively IDE connected hdds and sometimes ignores the HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY settings of the BIOS.

You can prevent this issue by unplugging/disabling your IDE/P-ATA connected hdd before you are going to install the OS.

[rybshik]

change order of drives in BIOS

I am installing Windows XP to Acer Aspire 2920 laptop. Aspire 2920 has a card-reader and a webcam. During installation, Windows assigns the letter “C:” to the card-reader, the letter “D:” to webcam, and the letter “E:” to the Windows home drive. How can I force Windows to install itself to the drive C: and push the card-reader and webcam letter?

Unfortunately, I can not disable the card-reader and the webcam in BIOS (there is no such option in the Aspire 2920 BIOS)

Is it possible to modify Windows XP install (with- or without nLite) so that all USB devices will be disabled during the install, but all the USB drivers will be installed. I will activate the USB devices after installation. This way Windows will not assign letters to USB card reader and USB web cam durung the installation, so the letter C will be asigned to Windows drive (hdd).

Edited August 3, 2008 by rybshik

[TranceEnergy]

I dont believe that for one split second that you you there is no way you cant install windows to c:\.

Update bios and contact your manufacturer about it. It's called boot priority.

And that your laptop is set to default boot from card-reader, laff.

Edited August 4, 2008 by TranceEnergy

[Guest]

Don't laugh, TranceEnergy. I've had the same problem with my Sabrent 45-in-1 Card Reader. Windows would install on drive I: unless I opened the case and disconnected it from the motherboard. That was the only solution that worked for me, and I know how to change the boot priority.

[TranceEnergy]

Really? This has got to be the most ridiculous thing ever =) I find it hard to believe that there's such lack of communication between Microsoft and these companies who make such devices.

[bledd]

only install with 1 drive connected

this is where linux is better than windows.. (i prefer windows though)

[CoffeeFiend]

45-in-1 Card Reader

Are they counting different colors of memory cards or something? Last I checked there were only like a half dozen (like CF and SD). Another couple years an they'll be up to 150!

Anyways if I had internal USB devices doing this to me, that can't be disabled/unplugged or such, I'd probably disable the USB controllers or something (in the BIOS), and once the OS is installed re-enable them (and let them detect). Assuming your keyboard/mouse isn't USB in the first place of course...

Never had the problem though, and I've used systems with mixed SATA, PATA, and USB card readers too. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[Guest]

That card reader was the only one I could find that supported xD cards at the time.

USB mouse and keyboard here...

[jaclaz]

If the drive has already been partitioned/formatted and has a MBR signature, you can use Migrate.inf to assign statically a letter to a partition.

Info on this is on the 911CD Forum, currently down, but you can get the small batch by cdob from inside the USB Multiboot:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Install-XP-from-USB-f157.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/How-to-install-X...SB-t111406.html

Here is a Google Cache of the original thread:

http://74.125.39.104/search?q=cache:vNxzCu...p%3Ft19663.html

Browsing the "historical" thread:

http://www.msfn.org/board/How-to-boot-inst...key-t61384.html

You should be able to find some more info.

jaclaz

[TranceEnergy]

jaclaz:

I am curious about trying diskpart exe to change partition letters for harddrives before login, in windows install. I know how to do it, using guid, but i dont know if it will work?

[XIII]

Slightly off-topic, but do you guys know a way to keep drive letters fixed *after* installation?

I use M: for my (USB Mass Storage) MP3 player and U: for my USB stick, but these always get replaced by partitions of my external backup hard disk when I plug that in (if the MP3 player and USB stick are not attached).

[jaclaz]

jaclaz:

I am curious about trying diskpart exe to change partition letters for harddrives before login, in windows install. I know how to do it, using guid, but i dont know if it will work?

I don't think so.

Drive letters are set in the Registry, if you do not install, you have no Registry.

On the other hand, if you already installed, you are going to change the System drive letter, and this will NOT work, without LOTS of work, "normal" result is an unbootable system.

Migrate.inf (and setupreg.hiv) are parsed during install, so you need to add the info for the drive there, so that it is "accepted" by Setup, and the Registry has the correct drive letter from the beginning.

Slightly off-topic, but do you guys know a way to keep drive letters fixed *after* installation?

I use M: for my (USB Mass Storage) MP3 player and U: for my USB stick, but these always get replaced by partitions of my external backup hard disk when I plug that in (if the MP3 player and USB stick are not attached).

It's an old problem, there are some workarounds, see here:

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/english.html

jaclaz